


Nothing Like Home Sweet Home

by Firekitten



Category: RWBY
Genre: 100 Days of Taiqrow, Gen, Mostly a father & daughter story, Post-Volume 7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2019-11-12
Packaged: 2021-01-29 04:29:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21404218
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firekitten/pseuds/Firekitten
Summary: It's been eighteen months since Ruby left home. In that time, she's faced a nuckelavee, a giant mech, and a team of sociopaths; and yet, none of them compare to the most terrifying thing of all: Her own dad.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 58





	Nothing Like Home Sweet Home

Everything was familiar. From the crunch of gravel under her feet to Mrs. Shelly’s terrier that barked at her from behind his gate, Ruby could have tricked herself into believing she was just walking home from school. To think, had Ozpin never encountered her that fateful night in Vale, she very well might have been. Being seventeen now meant she would still have been worrying about her entrance exams – and which school to go to now that Beacon was gone.

She never would have met her friends.

Never would have formed team RWBY.

Never would have been thrust into a mission bigger than life itself.

Yet, despite all of her experiences, the scariest threat she had to face… was her own father.

She couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, when she realized it. Somewhere between seeing Blake’s paranoid parents doting on her before they got on the train to Argus and arriving at Atlas to hear Winter’s furious but relieved tirade at Weiss, Ruby thought of her dad, greying with worry back home, and that thought hit her hard in the gut.

Because if something happened to her, the last thing he would have of her was just a note for a goodbye.

She had messed up.

Big Time.

“Do you think he’ll be mad?” Ruby asked her sister and uncle who walked beside her. They’d left everyone else in town. As much as she would have appreciated their support, she knew this was something she had to face alone.

“Ehh, honestly? He’ll probably be more pissed at me.” Uncle Qrow offered, rubbing the back of his head.

A metallic hand pressed against her back. “Come on now, this is dad we’re talking about, remember? He’s just going to be happy you’re home.” Yang reassured, all smiles.

“Right…” She nodded, gaining confidence. “Right!”

Yet, once they started down the dirt pathway that led to the front door, all that assurance crumbled like sand.

What if he couldn’t forgive her? What if she’d hurt him so bad, he couldn’t even look at her anymore?

Why hadn’t she written him more?

Why hadn’t she told him she loved him before she left?

Barking drew her attention and her head shot up. Even though it was muffled, it was unmistakable. _Zwei._

Despite being right in the front yard, homesickness filled her.

The front door opened. She was so torn between her feet that wanted to run away and her heart that wanted to pull her forward, that she froze completely.

“-ight, alright, I’m letting you out, you m-” Dad’s voice faded to silence as he caught sight of them. His eyes darted to either side of her, before ultimately landing on her. “Ruby?”

Time slowed around her. Quite literally, as she rushed forward at super speed and crashed into him. He grunted, but held strong – held her strongly as he always had.

And suddenly, she was bawling. “Dad! I’m so sorry! I – when my friends came by and – we started talking and, we just had to go! But I, I should have said goodbye and-”

“Hey. Hey, now.” Her dad sniffled, rubbing her back. “Don’t cry. You’ll get me going.”

Ruby looked up, words hitching over another sob. “Aren’t you mad at me?”

“I am. A little, I guess. You are _really_ late for dinner young lady.” They both laughed wetly. Her dad stroked a hand through her hair, kissing the top of her head. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Her smile tremored, and her head fell against his chest. He smelt like the mixture of the garden and the cologne he always put on before going to work. He smelt like dad. Like home. “I missed you.”

She felt the rumble of his voice against her cheek. “Me too sweetheart.”

“Hey.” Yang. She’d completely forgotten she was there. “Can I get in on this?”

Dad laughed, holding out one of his arms and in seconds, her sister was squished right beside her. He kissed her head as well. Zwei was running around their feet, yips full of energy.

“Ah, ain’t this picture perfect?” A click from a scroll told her Uncle Qrow was definitely taking a picture. “Add some snow and it’s a perfect holiday card.”

“It’s only perfect if the whole family’s in it Qrow.” Dad replied.

He laughed awkwardly. “Hah, you know I don’t do the touchy-feelies.”

“S’ok, I’ll get you in a minute.”

“…I think that’s the scariest threat I’ve ever been given.”

Ruby’s shoulders shook as she tried to contain her laughter. Her head felt like it was on a nostalgic loop, because even _this_ felt familiar.

“Guess you better get him dad.” Her sister said, pulling away.

“You think so?”

Ruby moved back as well, rubbing away at the last of her tears. “Before he gets away again.”

“What- you traitors!” Their uncle cried, eyes widening as dad stalked towards him. “Tai, don’t you dare-” Even as he stumbled backwards, Uncle Qrow had no hope of getting away, squawking as he was swept up in a hug powerful enough to pull him off his feet. “Ack, put me down, you brute!”

“What was that? Spin you around?”

“No!” He cried, but he was laughing so Ruby knew he didn’t mean a word of it.

She shook her head, kneeling down and allowing Zwei to clamber into her lap and give her eighteen months’ worth of missed dog kisses. Yang sat beside her, reaching out to pet his head with enough enthusiasm to flop his ears about.

“What are you wearing anyways?” Dad asked as he set Uncle Qrow down.

“What do you mean? I look great!”

“You _look_ like gothic architecture threw up on you.”

There was a lot of indignant splutters. “That’s rich coming from you, Mr. Cargo Pants. You’re a nerd.”

“That’s it! Come here!”

“No-!!” There was a lot of audible lip smacking as their uncle was barraged with kisses in the most annoying way possible. “You’re diseasing me!”

“Ugh, they’re so gross.” Yang said.

Ruby nodded, unable to contain her grin.

It was good to be home.

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt was 55 "You're a Nerd". 
> 
> Originally, this story started out as Taiyang teasing Qrow about his new duds... but evolved into more of a heartfelt, father & daughter ficlet.


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